Jan. 27, 1888,] 



SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 



Natural Wi^tatvi^ 



THE HORNED LIZARD. 

 The Natural History Museum of Paris possesses in 

 its collections a curious reptile from St. Domingo. 

 It was first identified by Lacepede, and Wagler has 

 referred it to the genus Metapoceros. 



It is a saurian of the Iguana family, and is distinguished 

 from the true Iguanas by its teeth, which are similar to 

 those of the Cyclures, and by two rows of hairs below 

 the thigh. The only species known is the Mctnpoccros 

 cornita, remarkable for having on its forehead a tubercle 

 in the shape of a horn. 



This lizard recalls, in its form, the huge fossil 

 Dinosaurians known as Iguanodons, the bones of which 



sides are broad and arched. Below the lower jaw is a 

 fold of skin flanked on each side by hanging cheeks or 

 pouches, which impart, to a front view, a curious aspect, 

 as may be seen in our illustration. 



The collection possesses a few examples of this saurian, 

 but this is the first time a living individual has arrived 

 at the menagerie, consequently their habits are unknown. 

 However, since its arrival, its slow walk and some vertical 

 movements of the head have been noticed. If approached, 

 it seems to put on a ferocious appearance. It is fed on 

 leaves of lettuce and a little meat, but has not much 

 appetite. This animal is closely related to the Cyclures, 

 the Anolians, and the Amblyrhynchi. The latter were 

 studied by Darwin in the Galapagos archipelago. It is 

 probable that their habits approach those of the Meta- 

 poceros. There are two species, one aquatic (Ambly- 

 rliynchtis cristatus), the other terrestrial {Amblyrhynchiis 



The Horned Lizard. 



have been found in the cretaceous and Wealden deposits, 

 some having been discovered very lately at Bernissart, 

 in Belgium. The lizard now in Paris is shown in the 

 accompanying engraving, taken from a recent number of 

 La Nature. It measures about 28^ inches in length, and 

 its body is heavy and squat, of a blackish brown colour. 

 The dorsal line is furnished with spines, gently curving 

 back, extending from the back of the head to the com- 

 mencement of the tail, where there is a small space 

 without them ; they reappear, however, on a certain 

 length of the tail. The tail is not cylindrical, as in the 

 European lizards. It is compressed laterally and provided 

 with powerful muscles, which enable the creature to wag 

 it suddenly and violently from side to side to defend 

 itself if it he attacked. The feet are strong, and turned 

 outwards from the body. 



The head offers very strange peculiarities ; behind on 

 the back is a kind of hump, in front is a horn, and the 



dcmarlii. In speaking of the latter species, Darwin 

 says " these animals eat during the day, and do not go 

 far from their holes ; if they are frightened they run in 

 a very comical fashion. They cannot run very fast, 

 except when they descend sloping ground ; this evidently 

 depends upon the lateral position of their feet. They are 

 not timid ; when they watch anything attentively they 

 turn up their tails, and raising themselves on their fore- 

 paws, continually bob their heads up and down, at the 

 same time assuming a fierce aspect. They are not, 

 however, ferocious ; if their feet be touched, they 

 instantly lower their tails and escape as quickly as they 

 can." Darwin has noticed that the small lizards which 

 live upon flies, move their heads in exactly the same 

 manner when they examine anything. 



This species digs its holes on the surface of the ground, 

 and in walking in a district inhabited by these lizards, 

 one frequently breaks into them. They dig with the 



